London Is Losing Its Black Cabs… This Is What’s Replacing Them

24:55It was out in the domain, 16 ,000 illegal journeys from private ire. So if they've come out and admitted 16 ,000 illegals journeys, how many was it? And what is an illegal journey? No insurance, drug dealing, they pull them up with selling drugs, all sorts of things. And you obviously hear the rape, rape things that are going about. And I'm not saying every, because I'll get crucified with this, but I'm just telling you what I hear in the back of the cab. You know, just, this is one point that I wanted to add. My daughter, now this was years ago, so she was at university, and she only told me this the other day.

25:35She was in an Uber car, taking her to her university. Driver pulls up in a supermarket car park, turns to her, tries to, like, say, can I take you out of a drink, trying to lean over and trying to kiss her. It's infuriating. But yeah, she only told me this the other day. So, I mean, that's my own doorway. So that's a worrying thing. It's a worrying thing. Again, I've got to read, I'm not saying they're all like that, but we don't know who they are. Listen, same with these Deliveroo, Uber Eats. I was saying to you earlier about coming out and clicking your phone, getting your food delivered. Casey, he's here, he's outside.

26:13We don't know who they are. My boy out there listening, he does a little slippery thing, which I'm hoping now he's not going to do this he'll come in the house because he lives at the bottom in his annex right he'll come in their house turn off the doorbell orders his food so the doorbell don't go off when the delivery arrives so you don't know yeah yeah he does so he'll come up and get his and I'm saying to him constantly don't use these people we don't know who they are I don't want them coming around my house I don't know who they are so that needs to stop boy do you hear me and And I think most people want to feel safe.

26:53Yeah, of course. Some people are just in their own little bubble and they haven't really realised the dangers that have crept in over the years with the demographic change and the influx of different people coming in with different ideas as to what's right and wrong. So how would a black cab compare to an Uber from a safety point of view? Well, again, like I just said with my daughter, that scenario, You don't know who you're getting in the car with. We've got the screens in the taxi, haven't we? So that keeps you apart from that. So you've got internal CCTV in the cabs? Yeah, front and back. If you want it.

27:28You don't have to have it. Everyone should have it. Yeah. In the Uber cars, why have they not got cameras facing in that car? Because that's going to stop a lot of stuff going on, right? Of course they should have that. Yeah. So I read that more than 13 ,000 black cab drivers are involved in a£340 million claim against Uber. Why is there still so much anger towards them? And is that true? Yeah, of course, it's still ongoing. So 2012 to 2018, right? So they were supposed to be regulated by TFL, right? Uber, when they first come out. Flooded the streets. Supposed to be using, I hope I get this right here, so digital system.

28:09So digital system. So the customer books it through a digital system and then goes to the driver, right? This wasn't happening. So the customer would book the driver straight to the app and now they're working. So that for me is not properly regulated. And I know for a point, for a fact, sorry, that one of my friends was talking to her last night. She, they was in a meeting, one of our unions, and asked this question, who in TFL has actually seen this booking system oh well we haven't actually seen it but how do you know how do you know what they told us what they told you so because they told you that's true is it so we know that happens and then with the we've obviously them flooding the streets then I mean I wasn't out then so I didn't get out in that time but I know that my uncle Gary has been out 40 odd years they took a massive dip in earnings, right?

29:06So you're talking, now you're talking really serious here because cab drivers have to go out even longer to earn their money, got mortgages over their heads, right? So then you talk about mental health. We've had cab drivers commit suicide over stuff. I'm not saying solely down to that, but yes, certainly down to having to work more hours, missing out on family time, kids, not just kids, and then the children's stuff at school, going to see their little plays, their first little plays. sorry, I can't do that. I need to work. I've got a mortgage to pay for. Of course they're going to be infuriated.

29:38I understand that totally. Well, then I read about RoboTaxi, that Uber and Wave are preparing autonomous cabs. So maybe that one day in London, there won't be any need for cab drivers, period. I mean, what's the word on the street there? Well, that went live yesterday. So, and I might add, there was two accidents already. London's not New York, right? So it's not in blocks. they're taking out all the road structure, so they're putting in all these cycle lanes with raised kerbs. And honestly, a lot of us think this, that a 20-mile-hour speed limit, getting rid of all the roundabouts, is getting ready for the autonomous vehicles, which makes perfect sense because they can't navigate a roundabout, right?

30:19So, of course, you're going to... I honestly hope I'll come back on here one day and we'll go, yeah, we're still here, we're still fighting, right? I don't know, I don't know. but like I said there's 112 ,000 Uber cars those Uber drivers are going to come off the road they're going to plow all their money into these autonomous vehicles could you imagine all these autonomous vehicles driving around London it's madness that is madness well yeah it is but at the moment you'd probably think it's more dangerous to sit in an Uber car because they're not looking at the road they're looking at this little car on the screen on their phone which is actually there so they're not driving around looking at it so probably safer to get in one of these I wouldn't do it at all but technology can fail, right?

31:02Over my dead body, will I be getting in one of them? And none of my family would either. So I really, really hope that we're around for a lot longer. Yeah, I wouldn't care if these robo-taxis were giving away their services for free. I would still go black cab. Yeah. And also, people have lost that personal touch and that connection and people skills and interacting and sharing stories and having a bit of banter and spending a little bit of a back and forth. You get that with the black cabs. They've got a story, they're friendly, they're warm. And you just, this is what I mean, it's like you guys are part of our heritage.

31:37You're so much more than just a black cab driver. And Sadiq Khan, he says that he fundamentally supports black cabs. Do you feel like you're being supported by Khan? No. He said his words were that he supports you from behind the wheel. Yeah, no, absolutely not. We don't see that. I'd defy any cab driver to sit here and say that he does. Let's just mention one thing. one major thing. Our union took TFL to court over at the Bishop's Gate. You probably don't know this. Bishop's Gate. So the whole length from Shoreditch to the end of Bishop's Gate, which is London Bridge, right? In 2023, they closed it off.

32:14Safety reasons. Buses and cycles only. So if you support the cab trade and where buses go, taxes should be going, right? Why are you not giving us access to Bishop's Gate? It's a thing called Bus Gate. That's what it is. So if I picked you up, say, driver, Liverpool Street, please, from London Bridge, absolutely easy. You don't want the job. It's only up the road, but it doesn't matter. Any job's a good job, right? Come out of London Bridge, straight across, and then immediately you get to the north side of the bridge, there's a thing called bus gate. No, no, no, you can't go over there. We're stopping you from doing that.

32:49So we have to take you around your houses to get you to Liverpool Street. More importantly, what about a disabled customer? Wheelchair accessible taxi. the only wheelchair accessible taxi in London, right? If I've got a severely disabled person in that wheelchair or visibly impaired or an elderly, I want to get them to right outside their door, right? If I'm coming across that bridge, I literally want to go 100 metres past that bus gate, but I'm not allowed to do it. How can you tell me that's right? Why would you stop us from doing that? And then again, a friend of mine, when we spoke about this, Someone at TFL said that when I answered the question about the disabled people, what would you suggest then?

33:34Well, you can't drop them off there then. That's their answer. You can't drop them off there. Well, that can't be right, can it? Same with Topnicall Road. Sorry, same as Topnicall Road. If I had an elderly customer needs to get to the hospital, I told you I can get you there. But it's going to take me all the time just to get you there. Buses and cycles can use that. London, taxis are part of London. Why are we being taken out of that? So you can't tell me he's supporting us. He's very, very much in charge of what goes on with the streets. Yeah, well, when you put the full package together, bus lanes, cycle lanes, private hire, Uber, disabled people aren't really put as a priority.

34:16I mean, call me a conspiracy theorist, but it seems to me like you're being edged out. And I know that you can also get a licence miles away from London and then come in and out. I mean, how does that whole thing work? Well, no, you can't, but they do. But they do. I mean, and just for people that aren't connecting the dots, like why does that matter? This episode is brought to you by ChatGPT. Hey, it's Bill Simmons from the Bill Simmons Podcast. Have you guys heard about ChatGPT work? It's the new way to use ChatGPT for bigger multi-step projects. And when you need more than just answers, give ChatGPT work access to your apps and files and it can create real work documents like spreadsheets, slides, and structured reports.

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35:35Well, I should be doing it first and foremost. If you get regulated in your area, we're talking about Wolverhampton is where it happens. That's right. So you basically go to this centre in Wolverhampton, you get your little roundel, little brew roundel, and then you can go and work within that regulated area. There's a thing called, let's get this right, Triple lock. Driver app vehicle, right? Should only work in that area. Yes, if you've got a car, and I hate it when I say this, a taxi from Wolverhampton, it's not a taxi, it's a private hire. If you've got a car, you can come into London, drive down in London, stop, say goodbye to your customer, do your bits of paperwork, and you've got to leave within 10 minutes, right?

36:16That ain't happening. So whose fault is it? Who should be regulating that? Wolverhampton say it should be TfL, right, because it's in your area. TfL say it should be Wolverhampton, should be doing it. Because they can, whatever loophole, they can come into that area. I see it daily. Well, if they both do it, job done. And also, I mean, it's more than one app. The apps don't care. They turn their app on, they're getting their commission on every single one. So they don't care about that. So just so I'm crystal clear, the private hires that are from outside London that drop people off from their local area to London.

36:50They then plot in London, turn their app on, and then they're operating as if they're a London cabbie. Effectively, that's what they're doing, yeah. See them literally on a daily basis. And it's not being policed. I mean, that is a major liberty. 100 % it's happening a lot. And it's not just Wolverhampton. You see different, because I do it all the time, in traffic trying to find, where's that from? Southampton. Where's that from? Buckinghamshire. What's going on here? as if it ain't hard enough for us anyway. You know, and I'm telling you sometimes, Liam, we struggle out there, you know, and the majority, listen, like there's a certain clientele we use to cap trade and you're one of these people, right, and they'll always hopefully stick with us.

37:31But the younger generation are so app-based, they're just like, again, driving past restaurants, hotels, pissing down the rain, right? they're standing there with their phone why are you not getting in the cab? Why are you standing there in the rain? Even if it's five, ten pound dearer in us it's not going to be but you're probably only going around the corner anyway. And I suppose these private eyes that are coming from outside of London in London and then graft in London they too can all work off one person's ID if they look alike. 100 % yeah. Without a shadow of that. I mean that's a scandal.

38:06It is. It shouldn't be happening. And again look answering your question who's policing that? Why isn't that being policed? And why should that worry people? Because you'll get some people that, you know, a lot of people are so detached from actually what's going on in the world and the dangers of society or the societal decline and certainly little things like this. But why should people actually be worried that the car you're getting into, the driver with the ID in front of him, he isn't that person. Why should this bother people? Because it does me. Fundamentally, it's your safety, right? Yes.

38:39And that's it. Think your safety. I mean, young girls going out overnight, and I'll keep saying they're getting technology, like, yeah, but getting an Uber, and that's what they do, right? But you can't put a price on you, and the parents should be putting it into their head. Listen, if you go into town, you get a black cab. Oh, we can't afford it. Well, I'll pay for it. Because that's what I'd say. You can't put a price on your safety. No. And all people have got to do is, they've all got Google. just Google Uber crimes committed stats it's all out there for the taking and it doesn't make for good reading at all I mean I'm actually surprised when Uber first started coming out and then I sort of read all the related crimes to Uber drivers and what would go on I thought it won't be long before this is just completely shut down but it's gone the other way 100 % I mean as I said to you 112 ,000 licensed right that's without the ones coming from all over the country driving into town you know and the ones that are driving illegally.

39:39What did, I'm not careful how I say this, but again, a friend of mine, I won't say who it was or put it this way, they were with two police officers, right? It ran to Shoreditch and the car got radioed to intercept a car, right? This was, I don't think necessarily it was a licensed, it doesn't matter, does it, private eye vehicle, right? pulled him over, so it's obviously known to the police, pulled the fellow over, opened his boot, and this is from the office, and she told me this, there's no way she'd lie about it, a rape kit in the back, rope and stuff like that. A rape kit? Yeah, in the back of this car, yeah.

40:25And that was two officers who pulled this car up, and obviously the other, they were CIDs, And then another police car pulled up and dealt with it. They got back in the car and that's how she knows the story. But that's just unbelievable. That is unbelievable. I mean, that's enough for people to think if their young teenage daughter was travelling across London. You'd think so, wouldn't you? That should be all you need to know to say the black cab is the option. But again, I'm not saying that that was a private eye vehicle, but I think you can buy one of them vehicles, probably had an old rounder in the window that wasn't registered.

41:01It doesn't matter. He's driving around, pretending to be a private hire vehicle. You see it all the time. So if I'm driving along, this is the other thing about it. If you're driving along, this is, again, I always say this, I still, I mean, people will laugh, probably laugh at it. I still get a buzz if someone put their hand up at me, right? You still get a buzz? If someone put their hand up. They want me to do that. Every job that puts their hand up at me, if I go, if I'm having a bad day and there's a cab in front of me, getting a job, oh, shit, I've lost that job. You haven't. It's not your job.

41:31right so I'm a believer of whatever job you get's your job my point is these private hire vehicles right so you say for instance I'm going up Regent Street they've just and like I say they don't they don't care where they pull up they just stop in the middle of the road doors open they get out and I look over I think hey how are you this someone else getting back in that car it's got to be booked on the app hey you're just jumping straight back in it so that's in my book that's applying for hire so what I believe they're doing is that they'll stop that car and go, right, I need an Uber. If I get in, I can then book it while I'm sitting here.

42:08That's what they're doing. Happens so much. It's just not right. And it's funny. It made me think, when you said about you still get a buzz when someone flags you down. Yeah, I do. I really do. See, I remember when I was 16, 17, maybe younger than that, actually. I was doing my own thing by then. But nonetheless, when we were younger, and I appreciate the population has increased massively and things change, but we all knew the local cab driver's name Yeah. My mum had his number. Yeah. Direct number. You could, there was human touch there. Of people, do you think they've exchanged quite happily the human touch for convenience and cheapness?

42:43Well, for technology, isn't it? But again, I suppose you're referring to sort of minicabs back in the day in your local area. Yeah, well, whether it was a minicab, a normal cab, a minibus, we always knew you'd have an agency and you'd have a handful of taxi drivers and we had all of their numbers direct. and there was a rapport. Yeah, he did. And your mum would walk you out and say hello, Barry, and people around here will remember Barry. Well, my dad, away from my dad, he was an all-round entertainer, drummer, comedian, singer, but his day job, he was a minicab driver in our area, right? So, Loughton, where I come from, little council estate in Debton, he was the local cabbie, right?

43:19And all the local cab officers have been going for years. Everybody knew their names, all these locals. So you go to pick the old deer up from the supermarket. Hello, Dave. And it was personable. That's gone. You know, that's gone even in our areas now. I'm not saying there's no local minicab firms now. There's still some of them, but I'll guarantee you, you ain't getting Dave picking you up in the minicab. It's a private hire, little Randall in the window, and it won't be Dave. Here's something that I've often thought about. The black cab drivers get lumped into the whole private hire, taxi driver circle when grooming gangs are being reported and the role that taxi drivers have played.

44:03And we know that taxi drivers up and down the country have played a fundamental role in these grooming gang, rape gang syndicates. I've never read that a black cab driver has played any part in any such thing, but you get lumped in. So when they mention rape gangs are on TV, taxi driver gets done for rape, right? So all us taxi drivers, you see it all over X all the time. Why are they mentioning taxi drivers in that bracket? They're not. They're private hire. But the mainstream media always put it down to taxi drivers. Yeah, I'm glad you've cleared that. That's on record now. Yeah. And that little section there can be clipped and put out there, set the record straight, and there'll be enough people that see that and don't lump you all into one box.

44:50And what responsibility do taxi drivers have on the whole if they see a vulnerable child or anybody for that matter? Anything. Yes, I mean, if we see a vulnerable child, vulnerable lady, you're going to stop and ask if she's right. Try and get them home as safely as they can. I mean, this is what's special about being a cab driver as well that you see, like I said to you, about the hand that goes up. Young kids in and around London, they might be coming out of a posh school, right? Private school. They're parents, and this still happens to this day, they'll be driving down, a little hand goes up.

45:24Now, you wouldn't see them booking a private hire, would you? But they've got the trust in a London taxi driver to say, right, you want to come home from school, you put your hand up for a taxi driver. Safety. Safety first. Yeah, safety first. Yeah. And we'll end that chapter with safety first. And I'm wholeheartedly behind you guys. Support you. Thank you, mate. Immeasurably. Now, one day, Tommy Robinson gets in your cab, and then you end up singing in front of half a million people. So run me through that. How does that happen? And why do black cab drivers like people like Tommy Robinson? But tell me the story first.

46:03Well, first and foremost, I'm a musician. So away from being a cab driver, my first passion is music, drums, singing and writing songs and whatnot. So I did an album. Coming home from recording the album, I was writing more songs. And this song come about, I don't know if you've heard this, if you haven't gone and listened to it, Freedom. George Michael, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah. No, it's not quite that. But anyway, this track, coming back by accident, I ain't political in any shape or form, but we all know what's going on in the world right now, freedom of speech and all that. And this song went down that road.

46:35It wasn't until, I don't know, I started writing a little bit of it, my missus looked over to me, she said, well, she's a bit political, isn't it? I went, is it? Didn't really get it, because I'll be honest with you, when I write something, I don't think about one, right? It just comes out. When I got to second verse, very much very much thinking of Tommy at the time because he was away at that time solitary right so I really wanted to get this song off to him for whatever reason I didn't get it finished I thought I'm not going to send him off a song that's going to think what's this so it didn't happen that would in September the 13th I think it would have been that rally I missed that so going into the year after the next one was May 16th this is the Unite the Kingdom rally yeah the Unite the Kingdom rally and I did message I messaged Tommy I think I messaged you Adam I think messaged you as well so I was just trying everything I could just to get this song to Tommy just thinking look I really think he'd get it and had you met Tommy by this stage no no not at all not at all oh that makes his story even more insane yeah not at all so you're writing a song yeah with Tommy in your mind you want to send it to him yeah you've never met him before no you're trying all different avenues to get this song to him didn't happen and then you meet him well this is the crazy thing how this happened because so I mean And I won't go, I'll message him on NX and I've got a voice note off him, but that's trying to send the song to him via X.

47:53I couldn't do it. So I left it and I thought he's going to think, who's this, Giza? It's Mendel. You should have sung it, Giza. I should have done. But anyway, so I left it. And then again, things happened, didn't they? So Saturday morning, it was a Saturday morning, January time, whatever. I was having a bad morning in the cab. Someone called me. There's a job, Heathrow, bring it back into town. Generally, you'd think, right, well, I'm having a bad one. Let's go and get it. I thought, you know what? I ain't doing it I've just I've got to go and clear my head I parked my cab on a rest rank by the Albert Hall went into I park just going to go for a walk half hour 40 minutes I've come back switched the light on so I could have I could have been away from London I could have gone to Heathrow I didn't I put that light back on headed for Knightsbridge and then going to Sloan Street and I just noticed the crowd outside one of the shops protested about something and who's standing there it's Tommy standing there I can't believe it I've just made a beeline for him Tommy, Tommy I've switched the light off so no one could no one could help me anyway so I've pulled up he said, you're free?

48:55I said, yeah jump in so we got chatting straight away I'm like I've got just got to get it out there I need to talk to you about this song I want to get on this rally I must have been like chatting to him about it Did you say I've been trying to get hold of you? Yeah, yeah but I didn't go into like oh message yeah, he must have yeah, I have loads of messages same as what I said to you about me messaging you but you know you get loads of messages I get that and I know from then obviously taking him about how busy that man is on that phone it is non-stop and what was he like as a character lovely fella just like us he's just like us you know just saying it how it is yeah but anyway so he's now doing it live in a taxi introduces me so I'm just I'm baffled by that time thinking this is this is mental and he was going how the stars align you know this cab driver's written this song wants to sing it at the rally what do you all reckon blah blah blah so we exchanged numbers and And I dropped him off.

49:47He said, right, send me the song. So I did. And then he's now put another video together on his YouTube, putting my songs, my songs playing. He's in his car playing. And I'm blown away by this. I'm thinking, a little song that I wrote by accident in my living room. He's now put it out there to God knows how many people. And it hit, I think, about quarter of a million people within 24 hours, right? It blew me away. So when I got home on a Saturday night, I'm now reading the comments. That's when you started feeling like George Michael. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mental, honestly, though. It was a mad feeling because, you know, you never expect things like that to happen.

50:23So he's messaging me, I bet your phone's going off the wall, and I'm like, I can't believe it. But the message I'm getting from, and I mean people all over the world, Australia, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, about this little song that I'd written in my kitchen. Yeah. And he's asking the people, should we get laid to sing on the event? and they're all going of course yeah get him on get him on and that was it and then going there I was under no illusions listen this rally the UTK rally is predominantly around speeches I know it's not a festival but if I'm being I've been asked and offered to sing in front of that many people I'm just going to do my damage to get out and do the best I can and it was well received exactly on YouTube I was buzzing absolutely buzzing to do it and who knows he's got another one hopefully I can go and do it again Were you nervous singing in front of all them people?

51:14Strangely, no. I mean, just before I went on backstage, I'm walking around with my guitar, just going over stuff, singing it. But no, the nerves, of course, it's like coming here. I said to you, it's like going to my first appearance. Of course, there's a bit of nerves. You'd be a liar if you didn't think that. But I wasn't really. The nerves were just like, get me on there. I just want to go and do it. And how did you find the crowd that were there? Honestly, really, really peaceful. You see that for yourself. I mean, it was, there was no, even, and do you know what? I even say this on the way there, because I stayed around the corner, hotel around the corner, even the police, right?

51:49Even the police that I spoke to, stopped and spoke to, I was just having a coffee with my wife outside before I got to the stage. And they're like, oh, well, you're up early. What are you doing? And I'm telling them, Tommy Robinson's UTK rally. And this is gospel. Those words, two coppers, I went, what do you feel about that? because I didn't know how they received that. 100 % support. They can't be seen to say that. I know this as well. Yeah, but again, I'm walking along, my guitar buzzing to get there. So many of them. What are you doing? I'm going to sing Tommy Robinson's rally. It's funny how the mainstream media like to portray the UTK rallies.

52:28Peaceful, mate. And a lot of people do actually call it a festival, a festival of free speech and unity because unity is our strength. We know this. And the mainstream don't like to put it. I mean, look at how many people they say was there. I know, they always play it down. 100 ,000 people, no. Yeah, I don't think so. If there was any arrests, I didn't hear of any. And listen, what about every single weekend all over the country, football fans drinking and having rousers? That goes on every single weekend. You had all these people, and I'm not saying all these football went to this rally, but we had hundreds of thousands into the millions there, right?

53:07There was no arguments, no fights, no boozed up people. But you had the other marches up, and I won't go into it, the other marches at the top of Trafalgar Square, counter-protesting, causing more trouble than our so-called far-right. Not far-right, we're just right. And that's another thing that the Black Cabs will be very privy to, is all the different protests and who actually really caused the trouble. Well, we know that, don't we? We know that because we've been there. But you think of the amount of people that have never been to a festival or a demonstration, you know, a day of freedom and speeches and stuff like that and, you know, what you've been a part of, but all they do is watch BBC's take on it.

53:44They must think, oh, sod going there. Well, I'll tell you. Different ballgame when you're there. I'll be honest with you, right, and she won't mind me saying this, my wife, right, she was a bit apprehensive because she came along with my son, Casey, and she won't mind me saying this. She was a bit worried about going because of what she's heard on the mainstream. She's now totally, she's away from that. She's like, absolutely. She came there. So glad she came there. Couldn't believe how peaceful. And what a lovely day it was. Everybody in the crowd, all different nationalities. One, just the likes of me and you.

54:15It was all different nationalities. Just a beautiful, beautiful day. And I just wish the mainstream would show that in that light. This episode is brought to you by ChatGPT. Hey, it's Bill Simmons from the Bill Simmons Podcast. Have you guys heard about ChatGPT work? It's the new way to use ChatGPT for bigger multi-step projects. And when you need more than just answers, give ChatGPT work access to your apps and files, and it can create real work documents like spreadsheets, slides, and structured reports. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting work mode available on Plus and Pro plans. And we're back.

54:53Streaming on Peacock. May I present to you the award-winning staff of the Toledo Truth Teller. Slap me. Let's draw something loose. Ay, yes! I like that. The Certified Fresh Series returns. You're a boss. Is he always like this? Or is this just an act? Oh no, this is mad. Oysters, everybody! There's a certain satisfaction when you work with someone. Maybe we could be a family. You sadistic pig! The Paper. New season streaming September 9th, only on Peacock. This show gives me a reason to laugh. Maybe one day they'll be forced to because there's so many independent journalists now. But that story of you writing a song for Tommy before you ever met him, and then he flags you down randomly.

55:33That's mad. It's nuts. and you lost your mum when you was younger eight eight years of age and was it your mum that would say to you that everything happens for a reason and you've you've you've carried that philosophy with you well I just believe that because do you know obviously losing at such a young age you never get over it you don't live with it and ain't that the truth yeah but you know like I'd always I always want a sign I've always wanted that sign from my mum I'm not getting that I'm not getting that but the older I get I think do you know what I've had many a sign over the years and I believe I honestly believe never in a million years did I think I'd become a cab driver why am I a cab driver I'm sitting here because I'm a cab driver you know if I'd have made it with bands in the 90s or whatever I might not even be sitting here do you know what I mean totally different thing got two boys young daughter you know everything does happen for a reason so yeah it's just a I do believe I do believe that because you could have quite easily become a musician couldn't you and when I was That's my main thing.

56:34Yeah, it was that. And when people put your links into your social media accounts, they can then actually look at and listen to your music. My album's out there. My songs are out there on Apple Music. Spotify? Spotify, Apple, all of it. There's so many. So what artists do you go under and what are the albums and where can they find it? My album is under my name, Lee O 'Brien, and the album's called This Is Me, produced by Francis Rossi from Status Quo. And then The Freedom is the new single. that's just under my name yeah and what social media platforms do you use so people can find you? Instagram is just Lee O 'Brien Music one word same with X a lot of people have been adding me actually on my cabbie X which is Lee OB 1973 that's the one that people have been adding me on that just went up quite a lot so someone said Free Speech Shell said she's really looking forward to seeing this because I was at the Brain Tree one the other day and yeah it's mad to be sitting here with you mate really isn't it well I've thoroughly enjoyed it and I think a lot of people will because anyone that's got an ounce of love left for the country particularly the capital of the country you know we need the black cabs to continue forever just the sight of them I get a buzz when I see the sight of them it feels like home yeah 100 % that's the best way to explain it when I come to London and I see the black cabs I think this is home and last question nine years you've been picking up people hour after hour, sometimes minute after minute, of all the people that you've come across, what has driving a cab taught you about people?

58:12Good question. And I'll just sum it up like this. Never judge a book by its cover, right? Because we pick up all sorts of different people, right? And I'll be honest, there'll be times you could be driving along and you could look at someone in a distance and think, I don't fancy that. But in my head, I'm like, I can't do that. I'm stopping, regardless of what they look like or what you think they might come across as. And I will pick them up. And those people are some of the most interesting people I've ever had in my taxi because you don't know what they're going through in their life or their day.

58:50Whatever's going on around their world, they'll get into my taxi, and I'm probably never going to see them again, right? But the chats that we could have, they might be having something going on at home really difficult time they can open up they can open up to me and we can have a chat it's going to go no further so I would definitely say that never judge a book by its cover nah yeah everybody's the same well I hope people don't Lee it's been an absolute joy appreciate it and long may you and all the other black cabs of London continue striving and thriving and yeah Fuck Uber.

59:56spreadsheets, slides, and structured reports. Get started at chatgpt.com by selecting work mode, available on Plus and Pro Plans. And we're back. Streaming on Peacock. May I present to you the award-winning staff of the Toledo Truth Teller. Slap me. Let's jar something loose. I like that. The certified fresh series returns. Your boss. You always like this, or is this just an oh no, this is mad. Oysters, everybody! There's a certain satisfaction when you work with someone. Maybe we could be a family. You sadistic pig! The Paper. New season streaming September 9th, only on Peacock. This show gives me a reason to live.